The Democratic National Committee Friday plans to illustrate at its summer meeting stark differences with Republicans on same sex marriage and immigration policy, as well as show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The party’s governing body will meet Friday. It’ll hear from presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State; Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Martin O’Malley, former governor of Maryland, and Lincoln Chafee, former governor of Rhode Island.
The DNC also plans to consider resolutions embracing those and other stands. It also will consider a resolution honoring the life of Beau Biden, the former Delaware attorney general and son of the vice president, who died earlier this year.
That resolution will note that his “accomplishments for the people of Delaware and the country were numerous and extraordinary, and his commitment to Democratic values helped make people’s lives better every day,” said a DNC statement. Biden’s father is weighing a bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, and his supporters plan to meet with party officials Friday.
The DNC will consider a resolution that “celebrates the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage equality” earlier this year. The Republican National Committee earlier this summer rejected anti-gay resolutions, but has urged Congress to “protect the rights of believers.” Critics say that would clear the way for discrimination against gays. Supporters counter they want to protect religious freedom.
The DNC also will aim to show differences with Republicans on immigration. Most Republican presidential candidates demand tougher border security first before discussing how to deal seriously with undocumented immigrants.
Democrats will consider a plan that shows “ongoing support for President Obama’s executive actions to keep immigrant families together, and continues our party’s commitment to a broad and inclusive path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.”
Also on the agenda: Expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Activists have disrupted some gatherings of party loyalists seeking more attention to their cause.
The resolution, says the DNC, “recognizes the unacceptable epidemic of extrajudicial killings of unarmed black men, women and children at the hands of police. The DNC renews its calls to action and urges lawmakers to adopt systemic reforms at the state, local and federal levels to prohibit law enforcement from profiling based on race or ethnicity.”
David Lightman: 202-383-6101, @lightmandavid